Trust us—you don't want to end up on the TSA's naughty list this year!
Picture this: You’re heading home for the holidays, and you’ve packed the perfect presents for your nieces, nephews and other little ones in your life. But just as you’re passing through TSA, imagining how the kids’ faces will light up on Christmas Day, your bag lights up the security scanner. Something in your carry-on has caught the attention of the TSA officer, and now you either have to hand over the gifts or backtrack and check your bag. Bah, humbug!
“There are a few toys that are hard no’s, as they run against current TSA rules,” says Kevin Wagar, a family travel expert and the award-winning blogger behind Wandering Wagars. “There are also a few other items that parents might want to reconsider before packing them in their carry-on.”
Ahead, Wagar and frequent traveler Peter Shankman offer tips on how to pack popular kids’ toys for your holiday travels—and which ones are on TSA’s naughty list.
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How many items get tossed at security checkpoints every day?
With around 900 million people passing through TSA checkpoints annually, the TSA does not track the exact number of items that are “voluntarily abandoned.” Side note: The TSA does not use the term “confiscated” because passengers are generally given a choice: leave the items at TSA, put them in a checked bag if safe to do so, or send them home with someone who is not flying. At any rate, at least anecdotally, a lot of items are “voluntarily abandoned” on any given day.
However, TSA does keep tabs on firearms. In 2024, 6,678 firearms (approximately 18 per day) were intercepted by the TSA.
Which popular toys will pose a problem at TSA?
OK, now for the moment of truth. If any of these items are on your list or in your bags, it’s not going to go well for you at TSA. Time to rethink your gifting plan!
- Nerf guns and foam swords. Sorry, but “it’s just a toy” isn’t going to cut it here. “Popular items like Nerf guns, water guns and cap guns are an absolute no-no, as are any type of realistic-looking toy pistol or rifle,” Wagar says. Foam swords, plastic daggers, replica grenades and anything that contains a lot of wires or looks like it could be used as a weapon, such as laser tag sets, are also a problem. “They may seem innocent, but on an X-ray, they can be mistaken for a weapon and trigger a security response,” Wagar says.
- Baseball bats. Sorry, sluggers. This could actually be used to slug someone—hence, the problem. According to TSA, baseball bats are technically considered “bludgeons.” Yikes.
- Magic 8 balls. Outlook says: Not gonna happen. The issue here is that they contain liquids in excess of the current TSA limit of 3.4 ounces. And nope, just because the liquid is contained, it doesn’t make it exempt from this rule. Snow globes also fall under this umbrella, FYI.
- Slime. That Gui Gui Slime Kit the kiddos requested? The gel-like goop is a no-go in your carry-on.
- Certain craft kits. Creative toys, like the Woobles Crochet Kit, make great gifts. But if they include scissors, crochet needles or other tools that could potentially be used as weapons, be warned: They may not pass TSA inspection.
- Science kits. If the one you’re planning to give includes various powders, you might run into an issue. Powders aren’t necessarily prohibited, but they can be problematic. I was recently stopped, questioned and searched (not just my carry-on but my body too) because of a powdery substance in my carry-on. The cause for all the commotion? An innocent little bag of matcha (powdered green tea). The search was invasive, I was questioned by multiple officers in front of other passengers, and I almost missed my flight. Not an experience I’d risk repeating!
What will happen if you try to take one of these items in your carry-on?
Before TSA decides your toy’s fate, a few things will happen. First up: secondary screening. “This usually involves a TSA officer manually inspecting the bag by emptying it and, in most cases, swabbing the bag for signs of narcotics and explosives,” Wagar says. “The TSA officer may question the traveler as to the item’s purpose.”
If the carry-on item doesn’t pass TSA muster, you’ll be given a few options: Throw it away, return to the airline counter to check it, or give it to a friend or family member who isn’t traveling but is still at the airport. However, depending on the item, things could escalate. “Items such as realistic replica weapons could cause security to shut down the security lane or the entire checkpoint until a threat is cleared,” Wagar explains. “This happens often with replica hand grenades that are found in carry-on luggage.”
In the most serious cases, travelers can face fines. “If a traveler is found to have been negligent by traveling with banned hazardous materials (signs showcasing what is allowed and not allowed are usually at the entrance to every airport security checkpoint), travelers could end up being liable for civil penalties from the FAA,” Wagar says.
Can you pack these items in your checked luggage?
Most of the time, yes. “Checked luggage has a lot more flexibility in what you can bring,” Shankman says. Though put those liquid items in a waterproof bag, then “double-wrap” them by surrounding them with soft, bulky items like sweaters and jackets. (Trust me on this!) And if the toy looks like an explosive, don’t even try it.
It’s also important to know that a few popular kid gifts are absolutely not allowed in checked baggage and must be brought with you on board—specifically, anything that contains lithium batteries. Think: remote-control cars, drones, electronic pets and portable video game systems like the Nintendo Switch. These are a fire risk, and airlines have been cracking down on them recently. “Just be sure to let the airline rep know at check-in,” Shankman says. “Lithium batteries tend to be OK [in your carry-on], but if you have a bunch of toys, all with lithium batteries, and you put them through all at once, you might get flagged.”
You can find full details of what’s allowed in both carry-ons and checked luggage on the TSA’s website.
What else should you remember if you’re bringing toys on a plane?
- Think like TSA. “Ask yourself, ‘Does this look like a weapon? Does this contain liquid or gel? Does it have a battery (especially lithium) or wires inside?’ If the answer is yes, double-check the rules or assume extra scrutiny,” Wagar advises. “The less questions you make the TSA ask, the easier your travel journey will be.”
- Don’t wrap presents. TSA needs to see what’s in there, so they will likely unwrap them and end up undoing all your hard work! Wrap them once you get to your destination, or pop them in a gift bag instead.
- Plan ahead with printed info. As a licensed skydiver, Shankman often travels with a sports parachute, which can look suspicious on the TSA scanner. His solution for a smooth trip through security? He carries printed info to share with TSA that explains what they’re looking at when this out-of-the-ordinary item pops up on the screen.
- If in doubt, check it, ship it or choose a different gift to bring with you. Our experts emphasize that it’s not worth the hassle, especially around the holidays, when lines are long, nerves are frayed and flights are limited. Translation: You don’t want a gift to cause you to miss your flight!
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Sources:
- Kevin Wagar, family travel expert and creator of Wandering Wagars; interviewed, December 2025
- Peter Shankman, frequent traveler and author of the children’s book The Boy with the Faster Brain; interviewed, December 2025
- Deloitte: “2025 Deloitte Holiday Survey”
- TSA: “TSA intercepts 6,678 firearms at airport security checkpoints in 2024”
- TSA: “Toy Guns and Weapons”
- TSA: “What Can I Bring?”
